Shadows of the Bee
by Dairene Kezelghski
Summary: What are Letter Bees? Are they the ones delivering the people's precious letters to those important to them? Or are they the government's dogs? Perceptions really don't matter when someone's going to bring them down.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Message:** Hello, minna-san. My mind's spinning. I've watched a lot of animes lately (only 2, actually), yet I got inspiration to write this one.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Letter Bee (Tegami Bachi).

* * *

**Additional Notes: **In the anime, the time being used is in reference with the word "bell." In my FanFic, I will also use this as an equivalent for the time 12:00AM/PM. In short, the bell might mean "noon" or "midnight", depending on the time setting of the particular chapter.

**06/30/2010: **To avoid confusion, I decided to change the time notation into our standard usage. The "bell" will remain as it is.

* * *

_**-The Shadow's Message-**_

Largo Lloyd continued to gaze out of his window from the Bee Hive. The building boastfully showed its marvel to all the people in Yuusari Central, though it showed no _aggression_ in its wake. It was a building that housed the ever-courageous and industrious bees, the people who brought letters throughout the country. Beautiful as it was, what the Bee Hive was really trying to show was the people that ran the errands inside – it didn't really matter what structure brought an adobe to the Letter Bees.

The sky was clearer over Yuusari. The light from the artificial sun that was hovering just above Akatsuki, Amberground's capital, was enough for the whole Yuusari Central to enjoy the day without too much burden and _fear_. The dim light that was a small spectacle from the artificial sun brought the minutest amount of assurance to the people. And in Amberground, nobody could simply judge the triviality of things just because of its extent – everything, even the smallest one, had an importance.

The sky was clearer over Yuusari, but it was still a distant star from Yodoka. Hailed as the poorest of the three divisions of Amberground, Yodoka often experience the most pitiful life in the whole country. It was a place where the government was sought as one of the greatest criminal that had ever lived. It was a place where the people would often step over the border of morality and perform wicked task just to live. Yodoka was a place deprived of happiness. Yet what lies in the dark often had a hidden light in it…

Largo Lloyd sighed as he twisted his chair and proceeded in facing his table inside the office. It was very difficult for the head of the Bee Hive to manage the Letter Bees. Even though in an office-suited position, being the master of the bees was no better than those of the people that risked their lives in the field. Being the leader of the bees was almost as dangerous as risking oneself against the strong and resilient _gaichuus _outside the towns. Even though there wasn't any physical effort that required him to work, what tormented him inside that four-cornered room was the mental and emotional assault that pestered him to no end.

He was the master of the bees – he ordered them around and led them. Therefore, _he _was _responsible _for them. He was the master, and so he was the _father _of all the bees. And as a father that always guide the young, he felt responsible for the well-being of all the bees that worked for him.

_No_, he blurted in his mind, massaging his temples to relieve him of the pain that was building in his head. _They don't work for me… they work for the people. They work hard for their precious letters to be delivered._ Largo Lloyd corrected himself.

There was a knock that sounded from the door. Master Lloyd raised his head and looked over the huge double-winged doors that served as the entrance to his office. After some seconds that the knock ended, a feminine voice followed and respectfully talked to the person inside.

"Sub-master Aria Link is here to bring you _something_," announced the voice.

Without even telling the woman to enter, Master Lloyd had the idea that Aria was to enter the room after declaring her arrival. It was already standard operating procedure inside the Bee Hive. Everyone may enter a room as they willed, but it was required that a person was to make a sufficient announcement of his entrance. It may be unorthodox for the bees to make an entry without them being permitted verbally, but Master Lloyd preferred things by his own. _As long as they ask a permission; nobody does not even care if he is allowed or not_, he added.

"Well, Sub-master Aria Link, what makes you enter the office in a sudden arrival?" He greeted the young woman in a question after she entered, though he made sure his tone was in his usual friendly manner.

"There have been some… _interesting _letters that arrived here in the Bee Hive," she quickly started answering, not minding if she had not reached the table where the master was seated. She remained standing near the door, making sure it was still open. It seemed that she was hiding _someone_ outside.

"Interesting is the word that always come here in the Bee Hive." Largo Lloyd clarified, showing a curious glance towards the woman. "So what's _different _this time?"

After hearing the words of her master, Aria Link slowly opened the door a little bit and let someone entered inside. Largo Lloyd briefly studied the young man that now stood beside Aria. _Silvery-white hair… small frame… the same bee clothing_, he continued narrating the features he was currently observing from the young man Aria let to enter. _Ah, how can someone miss the long bangs that covered _his _left eye?_ He smiled and then proceeded talking. "So, what has a Letter Bee has to do with this?"

"Sir, if you were _listening_, what I told you is about _letters_. Well, this man is a Letter bee." Aria answered.

"Sorry if I'm missing my common sense, Aria." Largo answered, grinning wide towards the woman. "So, _Lag Seeing_, what do you bring for me?"

"It's a letter that I got this afternoon that I must deliver, master." Lag answered, with hints of unobvious distress written all over his face. Largo quickly saw the panicked form of Lag, and quickly dismissed the aura of snicker that was already forming inside his mind. He bent his body forward and motioned the young boy to move forward to him.

"Is there something I should be worried about?" Master Lloyd quickly asked.

"Master, when I got this letter, it was actually _addressed _here inside the Bee Hive. I've got no one in mind but to give it to you." Lag answered. After reaching the spot just in front of the table, the young Letter Bee handed over the envelope to his master.

Master Lloyd scanned the envelope at first, quickly flipping the paper material onto its back. The stamps were complete and it had an addressed location – the Bee Hive, just what Lag had said – although there was no written piece of information regarding the one who sent the letter. Unsealing paper with ease, Largo Lloyd opened the envelope and proceeded in reading the letter.

After a minute of reading the letter, Largo Lloyd held an unexplainable expression of surprise and _fear_ masking his face. His body suddenly slumped over the backrest of his chair. He unknowingly stared up the ceiling, his eyes still shaking abnormally as if he'd seen a _gaichuu _eating the heart of a human.

"Master, are you alright?" Aria quickly noticed the change of aura in her master. Almost running towards Largo Lloyd, Aria instantly checked her master. "Master Lloyd, what happened to you?" She asked, shaking her master's shoulder.

"Someone's going to wipe out the Bee hive…?"

Those were the words that came out from Largo Lloyd, before Aria ordered the Letter Bees to guard the premises of the whole Bee Hive.

* * *

**An hour before, 04:00 o'clock in the afternoon**

A certain letter bee was standing inside the Bee Hive receiving area that afternoon, carrying with him an unusual load for people like him. He readjusted his hold of his load, while observing different people enter the premises and take their letters to the workers that sort their items out. Many individuals were filling-up forms that were necessary for their letters to be delivered, while others were patiently waiting in their line for their turn. He didn't scrutinize people, but he just didn't have anything to do that moment – observing how busy the Bee Hive was indeed a great comparison to how _real _bee hives work.

"Gus, you know you're a little heavy," he told his load that was clinging on his back, a dog with droopy eyes that were threatening to escape into the realm of sleep. Feeling how his dog seemed to begin to wander into the deep slumber, he slight nudge the dog to awaken him into the reality. "Don't you sleep on me, Gus!"

The dog opened its right eye and looked into his owner. After some five seconds of study, it shrugged off its master's pleads for him to go down from his back and leaned his head on his shoulder.

"Gus…" The Letter Bee sighed. "So much for a resilient _dingo_…" He proceeded walking inside and decided to wait on the benches that were placed in some locations inside the receiving and working area. Some civilians were wondering around, others were working out their time by talking to other people or even some bees that were just passing by. There were indeed too many things that were being done inside the Bee Hive – be it a Letter Bee job or a civilian socialization.

After some minutes of idling, he finally saw a familiar figure that was excitedly entering the Bee Hive. Without too much difficulty, he quickly discerned who the person was. He stood up from his seat and quickly paced towards the _fellow _Letter Bee that he just saw. Giving a good support of his dingo that was currently attached at his back, the man gathered some speed and met up the other one.

"Lag!" He called out the name. "Niche, Steak, it's good to see you!" He waved his free hand to the trio.

"Good afternoon, _Connor_-san!" Lag replied enthusiastically. "You're on another delivery?"

"Nope," Connor answered. "I got my hands free for the rest of this day. I just finish a task that left me out in the open for days." He readjusted Gus on his back, who was seriously giving him a backache now. "Uh… are you just late? Entering the bee hive this time is a little tardy, you think?" He observed. Connor hadn't seen Lag from the time he'd entered the building.

"I actually just finished a delivery, Connor-san." Lag responded. "I'm actually here to hand over the delivery slip and ask if there is another letter that can be delivered."

"Whoa," Connor almost gasped. "You're taking your job very seriously."

"Don't worry, Connor-san. The delivery I made earlier just took me on the outskirts of Yuusari Central. I'll make it sure that my next delivery will just be within this city as well." He told his senior bee. He saw Niche suddenly chasing Steak away – for some reasons he didn't even know. "I think I can handle another one. And––" Lag rapidly stopped speaking and ran towards the windows where the mail sorters were working at.

"Niche! Stop! Don't!" He yelled at the golden-haired girl that were hopping at almost impossible heights, still chasing the white rare animal that seemed to be running for its life. Being the slower one between the two, Lag wasn't able to reach Niche in time. Lag's dingo easily entered one window and some _hell _broke loose upon her entry. All what Lag could do was to cover his ears to avoid the sounds of _crashing _and _falling _that ensued inside. He quickly ran to see what horror had happened there.

"Lag," Niche suddenly spoke, emerging from the stack of letters that flooded the cramped space where she and Steak had landed upon. "There are many letters here."

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Lag was frantically throwing his arms in the air as he approached the window where his dingo was. "I'm sorry! I promise I'll help in fixing––" he paused in his ranting when he saw no one besides Niche and Steak. "Eh?" He mumbled, seeing that the person who was supposed to be working in the window was absent. Lag took the liberty to enter the seemingly confined place and had the chance to scan it. "I know I saw the man here this morning."

"Lag, Niche, Steak… are you fine?" Connor peered through the window and saw the ruckus that Niche brought inside. Seeing how Niche normally stood up and Steak jumped on her head, while Lag was standing with his face dumfounded, Connor knew that they three were fine. "That's a _lot _of letters…" Connor commented.

**. . .**

Zaji was walking with his hands inside his vest pockets, his eyes slightly closed as he tried to relax from his work even at the time of the day. Being a Letter Bee was a difficult task, and he had been using every available that time that he could have to muster his lost strength for possible additional works that he'd be receiving.

Vashka was trailing beside him, her dark panther eyes intently looking at the forward direction. As a highly trained dingo that supported her master with pure hardiness, she had already learned that she didn't need to always rely to Zaji's every orders. There were times that she needed to act on her own, in order to protect and serve her master better. In facing forward, she knew she'd do much more.

"I thought Letter Bees are supposed to deliver _letters_," Zaji started to talk, most likely directed to his dingo. "I could not understand why they need me to_ relay _a _message_… Can they just have other people to do that?"

Vashka turned her head to the direction of her master, making a sound that was bordering a purr and a small growl.

"Perhaps you're right, Vashka…" Zaji just said, increasing his pace to go to receiving and working area.

From the second floor, Zaji walked down the stairs and continued his way to one of the windows where the letter sorters work. Walking with outmost boredom, Zaji approached the opening and see if the person working–– a head suddenly appeared from the window.

"Ah-!" Zaji jumped back in surprise, which made him go in an attacking stance. As he revealed his shindanjuu, Zaji motioned Vashka to be prepared for an incoming attack. "You!" He yelled at the figure now in the window. "What––_Gus_?" Zaji quickly discerned the dingo whose head was now sleeping at the available space in the window. He calmed himself down and hid his weapon. "If you're here, then Connor must be here too," he said in a very low and soft tone.

"Looking for me?" A voice talked from behind him, as its owner placed a hand on Zaji's shoulder.

"Ah-!" Zaji was taken by surprise for the second time. He quickly whirled and saw that it was Connor.

"Hey, take it easy, Zaji." Connor said, before munching on his burger. "Nothing is really better than satisfying your hunger, ne?" He offered Zaji his share but the latter refused.

"What are you doing here, guys?" Zaji asked, as he pretended that he really wasn't surprised with the sudden appearance of his fellow Letter Bee.

"'Am just helping," Connor replied.

"Helping with what?"

"Lag."

"_Niche! Don't-!_" The voice of the albisian Letter Bee resonated from inside the window, quickly gathering the attention of both Zaji and Connor. The two Letter Bees instantly tried to see what had happened inside, peering through the window where Gus was sleeping.

"Yo, Lag," Zaji greeted the young Letter Bee. "What are you doing there?"

"Just helping cleaning this mess," Lag answered, scratching the back of his head.

"Well, how come this '_mess_' happened?"

"Uh… the _usual_?" Lag responded. _Niche and Steak, again_, was his translation of his answer in his mind.

"Ah," Zaji replied, quickly understanding the hidden message with the statement. "You do know that the mail sorter there was pulled out, right?" He swiftly shared, while resting his elbows in the window and watched Lag and Niche stack the letters in their respective places.

"Pulled out?" Lag answered, glancing at Zaji before focusing his eyes on his task.

"Oh," Zaji mumbled before looking at his left, seemingly evading the prying looks of Niche and Connor. "I mean, I must be the one to have told you that." He said, scratching the back of his head as he chuckled. "I was told by medical team to bring the mail sorters into their clinic for check-up, who, in turn, have asked me to inform the bees that they're out for a while," he explained, but he trailed off when he remembered something. "That reminds me… what brings you here to the Yuusari sorting window?"

"Ah? So that's why it's empty," Connor commented. After saying that, he let his eyes wander around, observing the fullness of the receiving and sorting areas. "But, Zaji, there are still other sorters around here." He pointed out the people who were working with the letters.

"Only the Yuusari mail sorters were pulled out…" Zaji said.

"That's tough luck," Connor spoke. "Lag, how are you getting a letter to be delivered if the sorter's not around?"

"That's why you're here…" Zaji concluded. "Well, I've been told by the sorter himself that the already arranged letters are the ones only to be delivered until he's back for his shift. For some reason he'd pointed out that the unsorted ones are the letters that can be delivered any moment." The young man told Lag. Zaji then scratched his forehead, his eyes telling the other Letter Bees that he was trying to remember something. "Although I think he tried to tell me something before I left him… I just didn't hear him."

"But the unsorted ones––" Lag paused when he lost balance upon carrying a stack of letters. "I've only seen _one_." He continued after he regained control and placed them to the proper shelves. He took a glance to a side table near the nearest letter shelf, looking at the lone envelope that was placed atop it.

"Aren't you glad that it's only one?" Zaji and Connor chorused.

"I think it's better if I can deliver more, ne?" Lag said with a smile.

"You're hopeless," Zaji remarked, before turning back and raising his right hand. "I'll be leaving now though. Good luck with your delivery, Lag." He motioned Vashka to follow him. "By the way," he stopped in his way. "Don't overdo your food _again_, Connor!" After saying his final words, Zaji departed from the Bee Hive, disappearing from sight when he exited the door.

* * *

_It was really weird to have a letter that is already addressed to the Bee Hive_, Lag thought as he continued to observe the ruckus that was starting to unfold at the very office of the Bee Hive's master. There was suddenly flood of senior bees – whose experience and _knowledge_ – could easily outclass the younger ones' status. In the midst of the commotion, he suddenly felt lightheaded in confusion. _What letter have I brought?_ He started to ask himself, as he finally felt the gravity of the letter he had carried inside.

"Someone's going to wipe the Bee Hive," The master spoke, now his statement carrying no tone of doubt and question. After some shakes from Aria and the arrival of several bees, Largo Lloyd had finally regained his composure and repeated reading the letter. "It's obviously a threat… in a letter. I cannot still assure if this letter conveys the truth or this is a serious play of _joke_."

"What if it's the _Reverse_?" One of the bees inside raised the opinion. Some rumblings among some bees ensued, covering the whole office with muffled sounds and secretive tones.

"That's an assumption, but we cannot prove it _yet_." Largo Lloyd clarified. "We may have been under the list of Reverse for possible targets, but I could not see any logic in sending us a letter." He told them.

"Lag!" From the people the flooded the office, Zaji came from amongst the crowd, with Vashka still trailing along with him. "I've heard of what happened." He told his younger counterpart. "But I still don't know what that _letter _contained."

"Zaji?" Lag said, with his face looked like he came from a subconscious trance of himself. After recognizing the fellow Letter Bee, Lag's eyes suddenly welled with tears, drops of liquid threatening to fall in any moment. "Zaji, I didn't know what the letter contained – I swear." He glanced at the master, who seemed looking agitated already. "Master Lloyd said someone was going to wipe off the _Bee Hive_."

"Wipe the Bee Hive?" Zaji repeated, before yelling. "That's foolish!"

"Zaji… you should have not left me," Connor squeezed himself out of the thick crowd of bees and other hive personnel. Upon seeing Lag and Zaji in a corner, he quickly approached them. "Lag! Are you alright?" He asked when he saw the teary-eyed friend of his.

"I'm fine, Connor-san," Lag answered.

Lag Seeing tried to look again at Largo Lloyd. He could only see him talking to Aria Link. His mind continued to flurry around his body and was already trying to flutter out of his consciousness. He started to feel dizzy as his eyes cloud into an unexplainable sensation. Yet he could still see the confusion among the faces of his fellow bees and the people he'd worked with.

At the moment of his observation, he'd seen the blurred figure of a doctor – he could not miss the white gown atop of the long-sleeved button shirt paired with pants… _Doctor Thunderland Jr.?_ Lag quickly remembered the identity of the doctor, even though his mind was starting to get bleak. _He's hushing his breath… where did he come from?_

Lag could still see everything – less the clarity of the images. He saw Dr. Thunderland approached the table where the master was seated. He saw when Largo Lloyd seemed to look dangerously at the doctor. He saw when the Dr. Thunderland pointed his finger towards Aria Link and the other bees.

Lag could still hear everything – less the understanding of the words. He heard it when Dr. Thunderland raised his voice for no apparent reason. He heard it when Largo Lloyd replied with a calm voice. He heard it when Aria Link said something.

Lag saw and heard it. But he didn't understand any. But what he was sure of was that no one of the bees inside the office saw the quick exchange – they were busy talking to themselves that it occupied all of their senses. The confusion was overwhelming…

"I propose that everyone leave the office," the voice of Largo Lloyd thundered inside the office. Everyone – the bees and the other members of the hive alike – turned their heads to the direction of the voice. With no more hesitation, every single individual left the room – except for Lag and Zaji and Connor, with their dingos. Apparently, Aria Link prevented them from leaving the room.

"We need your services, bees," Aria said, mildly pushing the trio further inside.

"You mean…" Zaji blurted, "Lag?" He looked at the younger Letter Bee and noticed the change in the latter. "Oi, Lag, are you––" It took him some seconds more before he noticed that Lag's skin was paler than usual. His eyelids were also attempting to close, trying to hide the orbs that seemed to denote sudden fatigue. "Sub-master, I think Lag can't do it now."

"He can't shoot a _shindan_?" Aria asked. "We need that to verify who wrote the letter."

"He'd just come from an earlier delivery today, Sub-master Aria Link." Connor replied, trying to speak for Lag. "Please let him rest; the delivery today wasn't really meant for _him_ to do."

Quirking an eyebrow, Largo Lloyd threw his glance at the _chubby _Letter Bee, then to Aria Link, and then finally to Dr. Thunderland, who remained inside as well. He sighed. "Well, if Lag needs resting, then we will not deprive him of that… It seems that we need to wait."

* * *

After telling Dr. Thunderland Jr. to return to his post and letting Zaji and Connor take Lag to Sylvette's house for him to rest, Largo Lloyd and Aria Link remained inside the office, watching the lights from the buildings just near the Bee hive. The afternoon had given them some unwanted and shocking surprises, and it really brought them to their limits – physically damped and emotionally disturbed.

"Aria," Largo Lloyd called out the name of his assistant. "Do you know that I _lied _in front of all them?"

"Master," Aria looked bewildered. "What are you saying?"

"I intentionally left out one part of the letter away from most of the people inside the Bee Hive." Master Lloyd told the sub-master. "I feared for all of your safety, that's why I kept it all from you."

"Master…"

"The sender was _someone _from the Bee Hive…" Largo Lloyd said in a low tone. "He threatened to _kill_ a _bee _if I dare tell it to all of them."

* * *

- **End of Chapter **-

I'm not sure if I'm going to finish this one, because I'm still dedicated to my other FanFic. Though it's always very hard to leave a story hanging.

I've got a lot in mind, but the problem is when I start to write/type it. I always got the disease called 'laziness.'

Have a Good day!


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Message:** Chapter 2 of my story posted. Thanks for reading!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Letter Bee (Tegami Bachi)

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**-The Shadow's Finger-**

"It's nice of you... that you've brought him here," Sylvette Seude spoke as she stirred the soup in the pot where she was cooking her recipe. "Such good friend is a hard find these days." She paused as she gathered some of the mixture into a tasting spoon. She tasted some and smiled afterwards. "Perfect," she commented immediately.

Zaji was observing the crippled––_no, _slightly _disabled tigress_, as he noted her––woman that was working at the stove. Actually, it was also she who was the reason why Zaji had no qualms in going into her residence. In fact, Zaji had taken some likeness in the atmosphere inside. But there was simply no way in Amberground that he'd let Sylvette and Lag know about what he felt inside the house.

"_Aa_," Zaji responded quietly.

The fourteen year old Letter Bee was as well an orphan for some time now. His parents were killed by a gaichuu when he was young. After that, he had become a Letter Bee with another purpose besides delivering letters – to extract revenge to the monsters that killed his parents. It was retribution that brought Zaji in his current work now, and there was no denying about it. Perhaps, it was only Connor Culh that had a _friendly _knowledge as to why he'd choose defeating gaichuus over than delivering letters; he already had the gravest idea as how other Letter Bees look at him.

Moc Sullivan was one of the bees that look at him with disgrace. He knew it, but he chose not to make any ruckus about it. He was Zaji and he wouldn't let his esteem be stomped by speculations about him. At least he knew there were still a few people that had a great knowledge of his true self. _As if I work for those people who looks lowly of me_, he said in his thoughts.

He didn't even realize that the soup Sylvette was preparing was already in front of him. He looked in the opposite side of the table, where Gauche's sister was already seated. He looked at the food laid in front, a nice-looking soup teeming with appetizing toppings. The steam formed from the soup smelled nice as well. But as he looked at the seemingly delicious soup, a memory started to come out from the depths of his mind. It was then he remembered the exact form of the food...

_The disgusting soup?_ Zaji asked in his mind, his face twisting into some unexplainable form of horror look. _This exactly looks like the one in Lag's canteen! Could it be?..._ He glanced at Sylvette who was already digging at the soup and sipping it with great delight. "_Ano_, Sylvette? You cook this yourself?" He asked a question beautifully covered with a nice tone from his mouth.

"Yeah," Sylvette proudly answered. "You know _Nii-chan_ and I have been living alone in the past years, so literally we needed to prepare the common things for ourselves." She looked up in the ceiling as if she remembered something. "I always cook for Lag and I let him bring some."

_Ah..._ The unspoken thought was confirmed eventually. _It's indeed the disgusting soup..._

"So do you know why Lag fainted?" Sylvette started asking as she ate her own soup. "Just this morning, he was very enthusiastic in delivering letters." She said, looking at the door of the kitchen, imagining that she was seeing Lag standing by the doorway. "This house is so gloomy when he's not lively... I wish Niche's here." Sylvette Seude paused suddenly and looked like hit by a government airship. "Wait a minute! I haven't seen Niche and Steak!"

"Don't worry, Sylvette," Zaji calmed the woman down when she started to move out from the table towards the doorway. "Niche and Steak are still in the Hive Office. Apparently, the master is trying to inform them about what happened... It's just unfortunate that this happened at the time when the dingos are out for a check-up." He explained to Sylvette. The woman seemed slightly satisfied after showing sign of not rushing out of the house. "Besides, Connor volunteered to be left there."

"Alright," Sylvette said. She slowly moved her wheelchair back near the table, her head bowed down. As soon as she reached her food, she restarted eating again, although her appetite was gone already. "Is your dingo there as well?"

"Vashka?" Zaji spoke. "Yeah. Even though it's hard for a Letter Bee to be away from his dingo... well, Vashka needs it as well." He told Sylvette. Still trying not to eat the soup prepared to him by the woman, Zaji tried to execute a conversation. "Lag seems to be overworking himself."

"It's not surprising to know," Sylvette answered. "But it makes me kind of sad for him to work things too seriously."

"Don't worry, Sylvette," Zaji said. "Lag knows what he's doing––"

"That's not what I'm talking about, Zaji," Sylvette suddenly spoke, stopping the other one with her words. "I know you are acquainted with Nii-chan – Gauche Seude – so you must have also known the gossip about him being fired from the bees." She was speaking in a rather harsh tone, and Zaji could see her tears welling up in her very eyes. "They said that he worked too hard for him to be promoted to Akatsuki, which he really did. But then they've told me that he might have lost his own sanity in working there..." She bowed down, trying to suppress her tears. "He was so overworked that he even stopped working and leaving his place in Akatsuki."

Zaji didn't know how to respond to Sylvette. He had lost important people from his side too, but it was because of a common enemy that everyone hated. Sylvette's case was different – she lost her brother too, but not because of the gaichuu. Apparently Gauche was suspected to have lost his very mind in his work. At least Zaji was a little comfortable that he lost his parents because of an overwhelming adversary, but what would he feel if it was a lost only involving some misunderstanding or work? Not knowing what to say, Zaji left his ears open to listen to Sylvette.

"To what happened to him, I don't know... What I am sure of is that he's somewhere out there..." Sylvette shared her thoughts, trying to make a small smile against the loneliness that was trying to overcome her. "And I have Lag who is also aiming to see nii-chan." She looked up towards Zaji's direction. "That's why I'm sad, Zaji – I don't want to see Lag in a point of time when he's too consumed in working. Just like what happened to nii-chan..."

Zaji smiled weakly. "From what I've known of Lag, he's a man that would try his best to protect the letters he's delivering. He will do everything just to make sure that the letters reach their destination, even though he is constantly at harm." She saw Sylvette's eyes in mild surprise, a look that almost gawked at him. "You know, he also has his own letter to deliver... Just like you said, you two want to see Gauche. Lag has his own letter, and he aims to deliver it him. And as long as he has yet to send that letter to Gauche, he will always protect it with all his life. He'll never lose hope, and will certainly not lose his heart." He could feel his cheeks blush in slight awkwardness. He hadn't praised anyone past himself.

After listening to Zaji, Sylvette's face lightened up in happiness. "You're right, Zaji." She wiped off the tears that threatened to fall off her eyes. "Lag may want to deliver as much letters as he wants for the people, but he will never lose heart. Unlike nii-chan, Lag's goal is to deliver a precious letter... a very precious one. They both wanted to be Head Bees, but unlike nii-chan, Lag knows that he needs his heart for him to deliver letters and find my brother." She smiled to him. "Yes, Lag will never lose his heart... I should just support and put all my trust to him in order for him to reach his dreams."

It was the wonder of human hope. Even though how much extinguished the fire of hope was, a simple word can lit it up again, eventually warming everything up again. Emotions and trust were indeed human qualities – Zaji knew for sure. Even though he had nothing to do with Gauche, he could still feel that he was happy to help Lag and Sylvette in their journey. He could feel the warmth coming from the two of them... and perhaps it was the thing Zaji was wishing for in his fights amidst the cold fate.

"Zaji?" A voice sounded from the doorway, which quickly prompted the two people inside the kitchen and dining room to see the owner of the voice. Zaji and Sylvette were taken by surprise.

"Lag?" Both of them chorused, with Sylvette suddenly charging towards the young Letter Bee, leaving Zaji to observe in amusement. "Are you fine already?" Sylvette asked, touching Lag's forehead with her right hand. "You're not hot, so you don't have a fever... Is there any part of your body that hurts? Does your head ache? Can you walk properly? Are you not feeling dizzy? How do you––"

"Sylvette, Lag will have a headache if you continue to bombard him with questions..." Zaji remarked.

Lag was giggling as he waved both of his hands in front of Sylvette, gesturing the woman that he indeed felt fine. He also whispered a silent whisper of gratitude to Zaji, who saved him from an onslaught of queries from Sylvette. He was then lead to the chair by Sylvette and was offered a plate of the soup the woman had cooked. He had a horrified look in his face when he saw the food, while he noticed Zaji was turning his head away from the offer of a refill. He hadn't even touched his soup!

As Lag ate his soup, Zaji and Sylvette filled him the details upon the events that happened when he went unconscious as he was being brought to the house. "_Arigatou_, Zaji," Lag didn't forget to thank his fellow bee for bringing him home. "So Connor is left in the Bee Hive to take care of Niche, Steak, and your dingo, Vashka..." He said, while tapping his plate with his spoon. "Have you received any news on what the master had done regarding the... the..." Lag was obviously touchy about the event that included his participation. He was so sure that he had just brought the letter out of his duty and his likeness to do so...

"Don't worry too much, Lag," Zaji said, while he crossed his hands in front of his chest. "As far as I know of Master Lloyd, he's much more worried about us Letter Bees than his own self. I know he'll be doing something to sort out this mess... After all, he was placed in the position because he was the most capable to do it." He told his younger colleague, which made Lag feel a little better.

"I hope this problem does not go beyond uncontrollable, ne, Zaji?" Lag said, pushing the spoonful of soup into his mouth with full courage. "I hope Master Lloyd does something for us to discover who the culprit is..."

"Your shindan can read the memories of the object itself, isn't it, Lag?" Sylvette spoke.

"Yes," Lag answered. "But I felt very weakened and _sleepy_ as soon as I was brought into the master's office to discover the sender of the letter." He stood up from his chair. "Since I was the one who brought the letter – thus the commotion – into the office, I will promise to help the master and the whole Bee Hive to discover the cause of the problem." He placed his hand over his heart.

"I wish you can, Lag." Zaji told him. "I wish we _can_."

* * *

**Six hours before, 04:00 o'clock in the afternoon**

"I have something for Connor Culh!" A voice coming from a laboratory gown-clad personnel of the Bee Hive sounded over the receiving area of the structure. The man brought with him a packaged object, which he held tightly near his body, while he searched around the location. He moved about every spot of the receiving area, looking at the Letter Bee he was finding for.

_Isn't he the fat Letter Bee?_ He asked himself, scratching his head since he had failed to find the bee. _There's no way I can miss him – unless he's out for a delivery_.

"_Konnichiwa_!" A slightly odd low voice greeted everyone as the person entered the Bee Hive from the entrance. The man brought with him a dog – a dingo perhaps – on his back, while waving a piece of paper on his left hand. From the rest of the bees, the young man had some striking features for himself– a set of eyes that brought no secret in it, giving a look of tranquillity in its every gaze, a well-rounded face that was a result of _overeating_, and a body that built up too much mass. "_Sumimasen_! I'm going to submit my delivery slip now." He announced as he proceeded walking into one of the windows where the mail sorters was working.

_That's him! _The personnel quickly decided that it was the Connor Culh he was looking for, so he approached the young man without delay. He waited for him to finish handing over his delivery slip, which was always signed by the recipient of the letter. After Connor had done his task, the person instantly took the bee's attention.

"You're Connor Culh, right?" He asked, offering a small smile to the young man.

"I am," Connor answered. "Do you need something from me, _o-san_?"

"I'm from the Third Bioscience Advisory Panel," the man said. "I'm actually here to give you the item that was promised to you."

Connor looked astonished upon hearing what the man said. A weak smile formed in his lips. "Ah, so you've finished it already?"

"_Hai_," he answered. He handed over the packaged material to Connor. "I want to also relay the message from our superiors. They want to thank you for your participation in _this_." After making sure that the item was secured in Connor's hands, the man left and went back to his work.

Connor looked excitedly at the packaged item given to him by the Bioscience department. It was rather interesting that things were progressing too _fast_. He looked at Gus, who was trying to sniff the object in his hands.

_Curious?_ Connor thought as he observed his dingo.

**. . .**

Connor was still wondering why the mail sorter stationed in the Yuusari delivery window was away from his post. He was still watching Lag from the small opening in the window, as the young Letter Bee sorted out the letters back into their place. In the distance, Niche seemed to be trying her best to help Lag replace the letters into the shelves.

_This is not a good time for the sorters to take a break_, Connor thought. _This time is one of the busiest in the Bee Hive_. Connor Culh continued to think over the possible reasons why the sorters would be out at the moment. _And if they just took a break, then why take this long?_

"Hey, Lag," Connor suddenly thought of something as soon as he noticed that the sorters were already out for too long now. "You've been working there for almost thirty minutes... do you want to eat something? Niche and Steak too," He said as he opened his bag and revealed an oddly wrapped object.

Lag's face lightened as he faced his savior. "Thanks, Connor! My tummy's been bothering me here..." He massaged his stomach as he literally felt the rumbles resonating from inside.

Connor skilfully unwrapped the packaged food from his bag. As soon as he opened it, he handed over to Lag the content – a good and delicious-looking bread that was glazed with honey. Unconsciously, Connor's own mouth started to spill some saliva because of the food's natural beauty. "Here, take some. It's _specially _made."

Lag gratefully accepted the small meal, although he noticed something different in Connor's face when he was handing the bread to him. His fellow Letter Bee was smiling very differently from the way he usually smiled. Concluding that it was just because of the food's appearance that brought some changes into Connor's expression, Lag took a good bite of the bread. Niche looked at his partner and started to munch on her own piece.

"_Oishi!_" Lag commented after tasting the bread. "It's very delicious, isn't it, Niche?" He asked his dingo. Lag saw that Niche was trying to sniff out the bread after she took the first bite. "Why, Niche? Is there something wrong with the food?"

"No," Niche answered, still curious of the bread she was eating. "I never tasted delicious bread before."

"It's fine, Niche," Connor said, his eyes almost spewing some tears because of the supreme taste of the bread. "It's not too often that you can taste the local _delicacy_ of Yuusari."

"_Deli-ksi_?"

"Delicacy," Lag corrected Niche. "He means the food that is original in a local place."

Niche listened to Lag's explanation. After mulling over it for a few seconds, she suddenly threw her gaze to Steak, who was trying to grab the bread Lag was eating. Connor and Lag saw the burning of eyes of Niche that was directed to the Kapellmeister. "Lag, if I cook Steak, will he be a _deliksi_?" Without any warning, Niche revealed the golden swords which were her hair. "Steak, I will make you a _deliksi_, give you to Lag and eat you!"

The chase inside the cramped space of the mail sorters restarted.

"Niche! Stop it!" Lag voice sounded again.

Connor looked with sympathy towards Lag. Niche was really different from normal dingos. As he watched Lag control his dingo and protect the letters from falling off again, he returned musing with himself.

At least he had done _something _already.

* * *

Lag and Zaji were now walking in the streets of Yuusari Central, their goal to come back inside the Bee Hive to find out what actions had been done and to eventually meet up with their dingos. They'd left the house some minutes ago, waving a short farewell to Sylvette. It was a quiet walk inside the town, even though Yuusari Central was one of the most glorious places in the whole country. Even though celebrated as one of the most successful towns, there were still moments that it could bring some utmost silence to some individuals. After all, people and things also have their _different _side.

Perhaps, one of the most obvious reasons for Yuusari Central to be known as one of the vital towns of Amberground was the Bee Hive itself. Prosperity comes from points that were geographically aligned to economically essential paths, and the Bee Hive was one of those. Being the location where most of the letters were asked to be sent, Yuusari Central was indeed a central hub for economies the fuelled the whole country.

If the government had just more programs in its plans similar to what was already in Yuusari Central, then the whole Amberground should have been more prosperous...

Until now, many people still lived an impoverished life in Yodoka, the poorest among the three districts of Amberground. It was where Lag Seeing came from, and he had no doubts that it was still suffering as before. People in Yodoka were almost too pessimistic that they had let fate itself to control their lives until the very end... There were others who were still aiming for a good future, although their thoughts were already tainted by the hands of immorality and evil. It was once told that the only way to live in Yodoka was to take advantage of the other people near – be it to hurt them or to control them necessarily.

Lag didn't want to believe in this. What the people lack, Lag had it. In the beginning, he was as devastated as the people living in Yodoka, when his mother was taken away from him. He felt so helpless back then, and all what he could do was to cry. But when a certain Letter Bee entered his life in his most desperate of times, Lag's perception constantly changed. Gauche Seude changed all what he believed in and gave him one of the fuels for a person to survive the odds of life – _hope_. Indeed, Gauche had given him hope and helped him from the darkness that was consuming him. Through Gauche, Lag knew that true hope and even _friends_ survived in the bleak lands of Yodoka.

With that, his heart had told him to become a Letter Bee. His heart told him to follow the footsteps of Gauche... a bee that had a will to deliver the precious letters of the people; a bee that could change a life of a person.

According to Master Lloyd, there were only two full-pledged Letter Bees that came from Yodoka – a guy from Dead End Town named Jiggy Pepper and he, from Cosa Bell. It was a proof that there were too few people in the Yodoka District that hoped for the best... but, in the eyes of Lag, it was a sign that there was a change were to happen.

"Lag, we're here," Zaji spoke. It brought out Lag from his musings.

Lag observed the Bee Hive from the outside, looking at the brightly lit structure of the Letter Bees. Even though he had worked for some time already, he was still amazed at the beauty of the building. It relieved him of the memories about his first time arriving in the place – it was almost tragedy that he'd announced his identity to the people inside while only in his boxers.

Zaji suddenly stopped in his footsteps. Lag didn't notice him and continued walking.

"Zaji," Lag called out when he finally became aware that his fellow bee wasn't walking. "Why did you sto––" Lag didn't have the time to finish his statement when he was shoved by Zaji to the earth, tackling him into the thick ground. "What are you––" A gunshot roared. Zaji yanked Lag's head down just before a bullet whizzed into space where his head was prior to the pulling.

"Lag! Someone's targeting us," Zaji tried to remain calm in detailing Lag on what just happened. "We need to escape from him or we're dead."

"He wants to kill us?" Lag asked, his eyes tearing with fear. "Then we need to enter the Bee Hive-!" He was going to stand from ground when Zaji pulled him back down again. Luckily, they were just behind the fountain when the gun was fired. There was protection offered behind the ornamental structure.

"Lag! Just calm down." Zaji said in a soft voice, although his face was betraying the calmness he was trying to instil to the younger one. "We need to get away from the Bee Hive, Lag."

"But! But––"

"Lag!" Zaji almost yelled. Soon after, he held Lag's stiff shoulders with his right hand. "If we're to enter the Hive, then it will just lead the man to follow us in there. How many casualties will happen if he follows us inside?"

"Many," Lag realized. Zaji was correct. Many people inside the Bee Hive were defenseless. If they would be followed inside, then many people can be hurt. It was careless for him to think of using the Bee Hive as a safe haven. "Zaji, what are we going to do?" Lag asked, as tears suddenly burst from his eyes.

_Man_, Zaji thought, _here he goes again_. "We need to escape. We need to lose his sight from us. After we're sure he lost us, then we'll go straight back to the Bee Hive when it's all safe."

With that, Zaji and Lag ran away from the Bee Hive, in the hopes that the man would follow them to keep the people inside safe away from harm.

* * *

Master Lloyd heard the gunshot that came from outside the Bee Hive. After hearing it, he decided to go out the office for him to go directly to the scene where the shot happened. Just before he could open the door of his office, Aria suddenly burst inside, her eyes clearly showing signs of shock.

"What happened, Aria?"

"There was a person... our bees told me that they saw him trying to shoot one or two of the bees."

"Who? Have they seen who's that bee?"

"Lag Seeing,"

Master Lloyd suddenly stood in disbelief. The realization came too instant inside his mind that left him wordless for a minute. "If Lag is their target, then it might indeed be true that the sender of the message was from inside the Bee Hive..." He spoke. "They knew what Lag can do... they're making sure that Lag will not shoot a _shindan_ to the letter..."

* * *

- **End of Chapter** -

What the...? What's happening in Yuusari Central? What has happened to our characters? Why am I asking you when it's me who knows the story? :P

Thanks for reading.

Have a good day! Ja ne!


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